The Christmas Cycle Celebrated the part taken by The Blessed Virgin in The Mystery of The Incarnation, glorifying both The Divinity of Jesus and The Divine Maternity of Mary.
The Easter Cycle tells us how The Mother of The Saviour co-operated in The Mystery of The Redemption. It shows her in this Season of The Passion at The Foot of The Cross, where Christ is dying (Introit, Sequence, Gospel). “An ineffable union is established between The Oblation of The Incarnate Word and that of Mary; The Divine Blood and The Tears of The Mother flow together and are mixed for the redemption of the human race.” [The quoted Text is taken from “The Liturgical Year” by Dom Guéranger: Friday in Passion Week.]
“The Prophecy of Simeon is fulfilled: A Sword of Grief pierces The Most Gentle Soul of The Glorious Virgin Mary (Collect), who, by her unequalled love, becomes The Queen of Martyrs” (Communion). [The quoted Text is taken from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Sixth Lesson at Matins.]
As Judith had delivered Israel by killing Holofernes (Epistle), The Virgin is our Deliverer, with Jesus. Wherefore, the Gospel shows us, at The Foot of The Tree of Passion, in a scene which recalls The Tree of Prevarication, The Maternity of Mary with regard to The Church personified by Saint John.
“Let us Venerate The Transfixion of The Glorious Virgin Mary at The Foot of The Cross, in order to gather the happy fruit of The Passion of her Son” (Collect).
Mass: Stabant juxta. Commemoration: Of The Feria. The rest of The Mass is identical with that of the other Feast of The Seven Sorrows of The Blessed Virgin Mary, on 15 September, except the following: Gradual: Dolorosa. Tract: Stabat Sancta. Sequence: After The Sequence, there is no Alleluia. Preface: Of The Blessed Virgin Mary: “Et te in Transfixione”. Last Gospel: The Gospel of The Feria.
Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia, unless otherwise stated.
Our Lady of Sorrows (Latin: Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), and The Sorrowful Mother, or, Mother of Sorrows, (Latin: Mater Dolorosa, at times just Dolorosa), and Our Lady of The Seven Sorrows, or, Our Lady of The Seven Dolours, are names by which The Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to, in relation to Sorrows in her Life.
The Seven Sorrows (or Dolours) are events in The Life of The Blessed Virgin Mary, which are a popular Devotion and are frequently depicted in art. It is a common Devotion for Catholics to say, daily, one Our Father and seven Hail Marys for each of The Seven Sorrows, which are:
The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was originated by a Provincial Synod of Cologne in 1413 as a response to the iconoclast, Hussites. It was designated for The Friday after The Third Sunday after Easter. It had the Title: “Commemoratio angustiæ et doloris Beatæ Mariæ Virginis”. Before the 16th-Century, The Feast was Celebrated only in parts of Northern Europe.
Earlier, in 1233, seven youths in Tuscany founded The Servite Order (also known as "The Servite Friars", or "The Order of The Servants of Mary"). Five years later, they took up "The Sorrows of Mary, Standing Under The Cross", as the principal Devotion of their Order.
Over the Centuries, several Devotions, and even Orders, arose around Meditation on Mary's Sorrows. The Servites developed the two most common Devotions to Our Lady's Sorrows, namely The Rosary of The Seven Sorrows and The Black Scapular of The Seven Dolours of Mary.
The Black Scapular is a symbol of The Confraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows, which is associated with The Servite Order. Most Devotional Scapulars have requirements regarding ornamentation or design. The Devotion of The Black Scapular requires only that it be made of Black Woollen Cloth.
It depicts The Virgin Mary at the moment that Simeon The Righteous says: "Yea, a Sword shall pierce through thy own Soul also . . ." (Luke 2:35) She stands with her hands upraised in Prayer, and Seven Swords pierce her heart, indicative of The Seven Sorrows. This is one of the few Orthodox icons of The Theotokos which do not depict The Infant Jesus. The refrain, " Rejoice, much-sorrowing Mother of God, turn our sorrows into joy and soften the hearts of evil men ! " is also used.
"Dolorosa".
Artist: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
Current location: Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla, España.
The first Altar to The Mater Dolorosa was set up in 1221 at The Monastery of Schönau, Germany. Especially in Mediterranean Countries, Parishioners Traditionally carry statues of Our Lady of Sorrows in Processions on The Days leading to Good Friday.
No Feast in her honour was included in Pope Saint Pius V's 1570 Tridentine Calendar. Vatican approval for The Celebration of a Feast, in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows, was first granted to The ServiteOrder in 1667.
Español: Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. Capilla del Sagrario de la Iglesia Parroquial de Santa María del Alcor. El Viso del Alcor. Procesiona bajo palio en la tarde noche del Viernes Santo.
Another Feast, originating in the 17th-Century, was extended to the whole of The Latin Church in 1727. It was originally Celebrated on Friday in Passion Week, one week before Good Friday. In 1954, it still held the Rank of Major-Double (slightly lower than the Rank of The 15 September Feast) in The General Roman Calendar.
The 15 September Feast is known as "The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows" (Beatæ Mariæ Virginis Perdolentis). The Sequence, known as Stabat Mater, may be sung at Mass on that day.
Our Lady of Sorrows, depicted as "Mater Dolorosa" (Mother of Sorrows) has been the subject of some key works of Roman Catholic Marian Art. Mater Dolorosa is one of the three common artistic representations of a Sorrowful Virgin Mary, the other two being Stabat Mater ("The Mother Stood") and Pietà.
In this iconography, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows is, at times, simply represented in a sad and anguished mode by herself, her expression being that of tears and sadness. In other representations, The Virgin Mary is depicted with Seven Swords in her heart, a reference to the Prophecy of Simeon, at The Presentation of The Child Jesus in The Temple.
The Title of the sorrowful Hymn is an Incipit of the first line, Stabat mater dolorosa ("The Sorrowful Mother Stood"). The Dolorosa Hymn, one of the most powerful and immediate of extant Mediaeval poems, meditates on The Suffering of Mary, Jesus Christ's Mother, during His Crucifixion.
The Dolorosa was well-known by the end of the 14th-Century and Georgius Stella wrote of its use in 1388, while other historians note its use later in the same Century. In Provence, France, about 1399, it was used during The Nine Days Processions.
The "Te Deum" (also known as "The Ambrosian Hymn" or "A Song of The Church") is an Early-ChristianHymn of Praise. The Title is taken from its opening Latin words, "Te Deum laudamus", rendered as "Thee, O God, we Praise".
The Hymn remains in regular use in The Catholic Church, in The Office of Readings (The Divine Office), found in The Liturgy of The Hours, and in thanksgiving to God for a special Blessing, such as the Election of a Pope, the Consecration of a Bishop, the Canonisation of a Saint, a Religious Profession, the publication of a Treaty of Peace, a Royal Coronation, etc. It is sung either after Mass or The Divine Office, or as a separate Religious Ceremony. The Hymn also remains in use in The Anglican Communion and some Lutheran Churches in similar settings.
A Plenary Indulgence is granted, under the usual conditions, to those who recite it in public on New Year's Eve.
The "Te Deum". Sung by The Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint Maurice and Saint Maur, Clervaux. Luxembourg.
The "Te Deum" is attributed to two Fathers and Doctors of The Church, Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, and is one the most majestic Chants in The Liturgy of The Church.It is sung in Traditional Seminaries and Monastic Houses at The Divine Office and for Double Feasts of The First Class, The Nativity, Easter, Corpus Christi, Epiphany, Pentecost and those which have an Octave.
Authorship is traditionally ascribed to Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, on the occasion of the latter's Baptism by the former in 387 A.D. It has also been ascribed to Saint Hilary, but Catholic-Forum.com says "it is now accredited to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana (4th-Century A.D.)".
The Petitions at the end of the Hymn (beginning "Salvum fac populum tuum") are a selection of Verses from The Book of Psalms, appended subsequently to the original Hymn.
The Hymn follows the outline of The Apostles' Creed, mixing a poetic vision of The Heavenly Liturgy with its declaration of Faith. Calling on The Name of God, immediately, the Hymn proceeds to name all those who Praise and Venerate God; from the hierarchy of Heavenly Creatures, to those Christian Faithful already in Heaven, to The Church spread throughout the World.
The Hymn then returns to its Credal formula, naming Christ and recalling His Birth, Suffering and Death, His Resurrection and Glorification. At this point, the Hymn turns to the subjects declaiming the Praise, both The Universal Church and the singer, in particular, asking for Mercy on past sins, protection from future sin, and the hoped-for reunification with The Elect.
Te Deum Laudamus:
te Dominum confitemur.
Te æternum Patrem
omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes Angeli;
tibi cæli et universæ Potestates;
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim
incessabili voce proclamant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra
maiestatis gloriæ tuæ.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
Te per orbem terrarum
sancta confitetur Ecclesia,
Patrem immensæ maiestatis:
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Tu Rex gloriæ, Christe.
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,
non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo,
aperuisti credentibus regna cælorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
Te ergo quæsumus, tuis famulis subveni:
quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.
[added later, mainly from Psalm Verses:]
Salvum fac populum tuum,
Domine, et benedic hereditati tuæ.
Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in æternum.
Per singulos dies benedicimus te;
Et laudamus Nomen tuum in sæculum,
et in sæculum sæculi.
Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
Miserere nostri Domine, miserere nostri.
Fiat misericordia tua,
Domine, super nos,
quemadmodum speravimus in te.
In te, Domine, speravi:
non confundar in æternum.
Translation from The Book of Common Prayer.
We Praise Thee, O God:
We acknowledge Thee to be The Lord.
All the Earth doth Worship Thee:
The Father Everlasting.
To Thee all Angels cry aloud:
The Heavens, and all The Powers, therein.
To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim
Continually do cry:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and Earth are full of The Majesty
Of Thy Glory.
The glorious company of The Apostles Praise Thee.
The goodly fellowship of The Prophets Praise Thee.
The noble Army of Martyrs Praise Thee.
The Holy Church throughout all the World
Doth acknowledge Thee.
The Father Of an Infinite Majesty;
Thine Honourable, True, And Only Son;
Also, The Holy Ghost, The Comforter.
Thou art The King of Glory, O, Christ.
Thou art The Everlasting Son of The Father.
When Thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man:
Thou didst not abhor The Virgin's Womb.
When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death:
Thou didst open The Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at The Right Hand of God:
In The Glory of The Father.
We believe that Thou shalt come: To be our Judge.
We therefore Pray Thee, help Thy servants:
whom Thou hast Redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints:
In Glory Everlasting.
[These two verses were added later,
mainly from Psalm verses:]
O Lord, save Thy people:
and Bless Thine heritage.
Govern them: And lift them up for ever.
Day by day: We magnify Thee;
And we worship Thy Name: Ever World Without End.
Vouchsafe, O Lord: To keep us this day without sin.
Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal for Friday in Passion Week, unless otherwise stated.
The Seven Sorrows of The Blessed Virgin Mary.
Friday in Passion Week.
Greater-Double.
White Vestments.
English: The Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by The Seven Sorrows.
Nederlands: Linkerluik van een diptiek Onze-Lieve-Vrouw der Zeven
Weeën door Adriaen Isenbrant (circa 1490-1551); KMSKB, Brussel.
Photo: June 2009.
Source: Own work.
Author: Georges Jansoone (JoJan) - artwork by Adriaen Isenbrant.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Christmas Cycle Celebrated the part taken by The Blessed Virgin in The Mystery of The Incarnation, glorifying both The Divinity of Jesus and The Divine Maternity of Mary.
The Easter Cycle tells us how The Mother of The Saviour co-operated in The Mystery of The Redemption. It shows her in this Season of The Passion at The Foot of The Cross, where Christ is dying (Introit, Sequence, Gospel). “An ineffable union is established between The Oblation of The Incarnate Word and that of Mary; The Divine Blood and The Tears of The Mother flow together and are mixed for the redemption of the human race.” [The quoted Text is taken from “The Liturgical Year” by Dom Guéranger: Friday in Passion Week.]
“The Prophecy of Simeon is fulfilled: A Sword of Grief pierces The Most Gentle Soul of The Glorious Virgin Mary (Collect), who, by her unequalled love, becomes The Queen of Martyrs” (Communion). [The quoted Text is taken from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Sixth Lesson at Matins.]
As Judith had delivered Israel by killing Holofernes (Epistle), The Virgin is our Deliverer, with Jesus. Wherefore, the Gospel shows us, at The Foot of The Tree of Passion, in a scene which recalls The Tree of Prevarication, The Maternity of Mary with regard to The Church personified by Saint John.
“Let us Venerate The Transfixion of The Glorious Virgin Mary at The Foot of The Cross, in order to gather the happy fruit of The Passion of her Son” (Collect).
Mass: Stabant justa. Commemoration: Of The Feria. Second Secret: Of The Feria. Second Postcommunion: Of The Feria. Last Gospel: Of The Feria.
